You Will Remember Me Study Guide Winter 2016 - Studio 180 Theatre
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Study Guide
Winter 2016
You Will Remember Me
by François Archambault
translated by Bobby TheodoreTable of Contents
A.! Guidelines for Safe & Productive Classroom Discussion ................................................ 1!
B.! Introduction to the Companies & the Play ......................................................................... 2!
1.! Studio 180 Theatre ...................................................................................................... 2!
2.! Tarragon Theatre ........................................................................................................ 3!
3.! You Will Remember Me by François Archambault, Translated by Bobby Theodore .. 4!
4.! François Archambault – Playwright............................................................................. 5!
5.! Bobby Theodore – Translator ..................................................................................... 5!
C.! Attending the Performance ................................................................................................. 6!
D.! Timeline of Québec Sovereignty ......................................................................................... 7!
E.! Major Themes: Classroom Discussion & Activities ....................................................... 10!
1.! Theatrical Presentation ............................................................................................. 10!
2.! Sovereignty ............................................................................................................... 12!
3.! Dementia ................................................................................................................... 14!
4.! Family & Relationships .............................................................................................. 16!
5.! Social Media & Technology ....................................................................................... 18!
F.! Suggestions for Further Study .......................................................................................... 19!
1.! Further Study of Dementia and Alzheimer’s.............................................................. 19!
2.! Further Study of Québec History ............................................................................... 19!
3.! Further Study of Contemporary Canadian Politics .................................................... 19!
G.! Tu te souviendras de moi – Song Lyrics .......................................................................... 20!
H.! Theatre in Translation ........................................................................................................ 22!
The Translator on Stage: Taking the Drama Out of Translating for the Theatre ............. 22!
I.! Recommended Resources ................................................................................................ 24
APPENDIX A: Resources from the Alzheimer Society of Toronto ...................................... 25
APPENDIX B: "The End of Alzheimer's 'Disease'" ................................................................ 29
© 2016, Studio 180 Theatre
You Will Remember Me Study Guide is copyright © 2016, Studio 180 Theatre, and may be
reprinted, reproduced or used only with the prior written permission of Studio 180 Theatre. All
requests for reprinting, reproducing or using this You Will Remember Me Study Guide should be
directed in writing to education@studio180theatre.com.Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
A. Guidelines for Safe & Productive Classroom Discussion
Studio 180 is known for provocative shows that tackle potentially sensitive, personal and
controversial topics. You Will Remember Me contains some mature themes, coarse language
and the complicated and potentially triggering topic of suicide. Prior to addressing this topic,
please familiarize yourself and your students with support resources available at your school
and in your community. Some suggested resources are included in Section I of this
Study Guide.
We have developed the following guidelines to help you lead productive pre- and post-show
sessions in which all students feel safe, respected and able to contribute openly and honestly
to discussion:
• Class members should make a commitment to respecting one another. Invite suggestions
from students as to what “respect” means to them. Some of these guidelines may include
a commitment to confidentiality, or the agreement that only one participant speaks at a time
or that ideas are never to be ridiculed or put down.
• Your class may include students from a wide variety of cultural, racial, religious and
national backgrounds. Students may come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and
some may identify as LGBTQ. Most likely, some students are dealing with mental health
issues. Students will enter into the conversation as they feel comfortable. Teachers and
students must resist the urge to place individuals in the spotlight based on their
perceived identity or point of view.
• It is the moderator’s role to establish as safe a setting as possible, and they must take
special care to ensure that students holding a majority opinion do not vilify those
“on the other side” who hold a minority view. The moderator should also pose
questions to the class to help keep the conversation on track.
• The point of a classroom discussion about the issues addressed in You Will Remember Me
should not be to reach a class consensus. The goal should be to establish a forum for a
free and respectful exchange of ideas.
• Please keep in mind that the better students are prepared prior to attending the play,
the more they will get out of the experience. An awareness of what they are about to
see will provide students with greater access to the ideas presented onstage. For this
reason, this Study Guide is filled with background information and suggestions for
classroom discussions and activities.
• Your students’ experiences of the play will also be heightened by effective follow-up class
discussion. We offer post-show Q&A sessions after every Wednesday matinée and
Thursday evening performance to assist in the follow-up process, but it is important to
note that students will continue to process their experiences long after they leave the
theatre. If time permits, a follow-up discussion a few days later will likely be helpful
and productive.
If you are interested in finding out about Studio 180 IN CLASS – our program of production-
and topic-based workshops – please visit our IN CLASS page at studio180theatre.com/in-class
or contact Jessica at 416-962-1800 or jessica@studio180theatre.com.
1Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
B. Introduction to the Companies & the Play
1. Studio 180 Theatre
Inspired by the belief that people can engage more fully in the world through the experience of
live performance, Studio 180 produces socially relevant theatre that provokes public discourse
and promotes community engagement. Our inaugural production of The Laramie Project played
to sold-out houses at Artword Theatre in 2003. Its success led to a 2004 remount at Buddies in
Bad Times Theatre, earning two Dora Award nominations. Since then, Studio 180 has
continued to offer acclaimed productions of plays that tackle difficult issues and generate
powerful audience and community responses. These are often Toronto, Canadian and/or North
American premieres of large ensemble pieces that are contemporary, internationally renowned,
and unlikely to be produced elsewhere.
• Mar 2006: Canadian premiere of The Arab-Israeli Cookbook at the Berkeley Street Theatre.
• Mar 2008: Canadian premiere of Stuff Happens at the Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs
was a sold-out smash hit.
• Oct 2008: World premiere of Offensive Shadows, by Toronto playwright Paul Dunn, at the
Tarragon Theatre Extra Space. NOW Magazine named Studio 180 “Toronto’s Best
Independent Theatre Company of 2008.” Paul is currently our Playwright in Residence.
• Nov 2009: Mirvish Productions remounted Stuff Happens at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.
• For our 2008/09 through 2011/12 seasons, Studio 180 participated in the Berkeley Street
Project initiative, producing one show annually as part of the Canadian Stage subscription
season. Productions included Blackbird, The Overwhelming, Our Class and Clybourne Park
(with Our Class and Clybourne Park each earning Dora nominations).
• Dec 2010/Jan 2011: Parade, co-produced with Acting Up Stage Company at the Berkeley,
earned two Dora nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Musical.
• Oct 2011: Larry Kramer’s landmark drama The Normal Heart in association with Buddies in
Bad Times Theatre (one Dora nomination); due to its overwhelming success, we
remounted this production in Oct/Nov 2012.
• Feb/Mar 2013 and Nov/Dec 2013: we were part of Mirvish Productions’ Off-Mirvish second
stage series at the Panasonic Theatre, with Clybourne Park and God of Carnage.
• Feb 2013: in celebration of our 10-year anniversary, we staged a reading of The Laramie
Project at the Panasonic Theatre, featuring over 50 Studio 180 alumni artists.
• Apr and Nov 2014: our critically acclaimed Canadian premieres of Cock (Toronto Theatre
Critics’ Award) and NSFW were two of the earliest productions to help launch the newly
restored heritage site of The Theatre Centre.
• Jul 2015: Our adaptation of David Rakoff’s Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish
enjoyed a sold-out staged reading at the Fleck Dance Theatre as part of the TORONTO
2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games arts and culture festival, PANAMANIA presented by
CIBC. The reading was also in association with the International Festival of Authors.
• Nov 2015: our new Studio 180 IN DEVELOPMENT activity supported workshops of six
plays, including seven readings (three exclusively for students)
• Mar/Apr 2016: The Toronto premiere of You Will Remember Me is the cornerstone of our
2015/16 Season and marks our first co-production with Tarragon Theatre.
2Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
2. Tarragon Theatre
Tarragon Theatre’s mission is to create, develop and produce new plays and to provide the
conditions for new work to thrive. To that end, the theatre engages the best theatre artists and
craftspeople to interpret new work; presents each new work with high quality production values;
provides an administrative structure to support new work; develops marketing strategies to
promote new work; and continually generates an audience for new work.
As a complement to the new work created here, Tarragon presents new plays from all parts of
the country, revives significant Canadian plays and produces international work, contemporary
and classical. Long-term dramaturgy, tailored to the play and playwright, is a priority at
Tarragon. Programs for play development are various and flexible ranging from Resident
Playwrights to Playwrights Unit to WorkSpace.
Of great importance is the training of artists, administrators and production personnel from
students to professionals in the creation, development, interpretation and production of new
work. Education and outreach activities — to artists, to young people, to educators, and to our
general audience — are designed to foster an understanding and appreciation of the process of
creating new plays. Tarragon’s venue is used extensively to support the creation and
development of new works by other theatre artists, through space made available for
rehearsals, workshops and productions.
Bill and Jane Glassco founded Tarragon Theatre in 1970. Bill Glassco was the Artistic Director
from 1971 to 1982. In 1982, Urjo Kareda took over as Artistic Director and remained in that role
until his death in December 2001. Richard Rose was appointed Artistic Director in July 2002,
and Susan Moffat was appointed Managing Director in December 2014. She succeeds Gideon
Arthurs, Camilla Holland and Mallory Gilbert, who was general manager from 1978 to 2006.
In 1987, Tarragon purchased and renovated the building that has been its home since 1971.
There are two playing spaces: Mainspace (205 seats) and The Extra Space (100 seats). Both
have flexible seating. The Tarragon Studio has three rehearsal halls, one of which can be
converted to a 60-seat performance space. We also have a carpentry shop, a wardrobe shop, a
prop shop and three offices for playwrights-in-residence.
Tarragon is well known for its development, creation and encouragement of new work. Over
180 works have premiered at Tarragon. Playwrights who have premiered their work here include
Morwyn Brebner, David French, Brendan Gall, Michael Healey, Rosa Laborde, Daniel MacIvor,
Joan MacLeod, Hannah Moscovitch, Morris Panych, James Reaney, Jason Sherman, Erin
Shields and Judith Thompson among many others. The theatre has been a pioneer in
presenting Québécois plays in translation, notably works by Michel Tremblay and Carole
Fréchette, and Wajdi Mouawad.
3Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
3. You Will Remember Me by François Archambault,
Translated by Bobby Theodore
You Will Remember Me is the English language translation of Tu te souviendras de moi by
Governor General’s Award—winning playwright François Archambault. The play was originally
produced in French at Montréal’s Théâtre La Licorne in January 2014. Based on its critical and
box office success, the production was remounted in the spring of 2015 and again in the fall
of 2015.
At the same time, Archambault’s long-time collaborator Bobby Theodore translated the play into
English and You Will Remember Me received its world premiere at Alberta Theatre Projects in
March 2014. Two years later, Studio 180 Theatre and Tarragon Theatre are thrilled to co-
produce the Toronto premiere of this beloved drama.
As Edouard, the aging patriarch of a modern family – a university professor, political and
intellectual force, and long-time sovereigntist – suffers from dementia, the people who love him
struggle to make room in their lives for his care. Generations clash in this vivid and elegant
exploration of what the playwright describes as, “the struggle between the necessity to
remember things from the past and the necessity to live in the present moment.”
Critical Acclaim for the Alberta Theatre Projects production of You Will Remember Me:
“A beautiful, heart wrenching story told with as much compassion as insight… as gripping as it
is thought provoking.” CALGARY SUN
“The sharpest and most thoughtful Canadian stage drama to investigate the mysteries of
memory since John Mighton’s Half Life… While this is a play of ideas, it’s a rich, accessible and
frequently funny one that never neglects the emotional stakes.” GLOBE AND MAIL
WARNINGS:
1. Coarse language: Includes a few instances including the words “fuck”
and “retarded.”
2. Topic of suicide: During the course of the play, characters recall the past
suicide death of another character.
If you have questions or concerns about the content of the play, or would like to
request an electronic reading copy, please do not hesitate to contact us at
education@studio180theatre.com or 416-962-1800.
4Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
4. François Archambault – Playwright
François Archambault graduated from the playwriting program at the National Theatre School of
Canada in 1993 and has gone on to write more than 20 plays, which have been translated into
numerous languages and staged all around the world. In 1998, he received the Governor
General’s Literary Award for his play 15 seconds. Other notable and acclaimed works for the
stage include La societé de loisirs (The Leisure Society), Cul sec (Fast Lane) and Les gagnants
(The Winners). His most recent play, You Will Remember Me, premiered at Théâtre La Licorne
in 2014 and has received unparalleled success and praise. You Will Remember Me continues to
receive multiple productions across the country and will be adapted for the screen. In 2014, the
play was among the Governor General’s Literary Award contenders, and received the
prestigious Michel-Tremblay Award. François Archambault has written many scripts for
television, including Les étoiles filantes (Radio-Canada, 2006–2008), and is currently working on
two screenplays. Mr. Archambault is a 1993 graduate in writing from the National Theatre
School of Canada.
5. Bobby Theodore – Translator
Bobby Theodore is a screenwriter, playwright and translator. Bobby has worked on several TV
series, including Murdoch Mysteries, Flashpoint and Knuckleheads (an adaptation of the hit
Québécois cartoon Têtes à claques).!He’s also written episodes for the acclaimed CBC radio
drama Afghanada and worked on web series for The Listener and Played. Nominated for a
Governor General’s Award in 1999 for his translation of 15 Seconds by François Archambault,
Bobby has now translated over 20 plays from French to English. For the stage, Bobby co-
created 300 Tapes (with Ame Henderson), a devised performance that premiered at The
Theatre Centre in Toronto and at ATP in Calgary, and he wrote Swallow, a play set in the
drama-filled world of minor hockey. This March, Soulpepper is staging his translation of Albert
Camus’s The Just. Bobby’s translation of François Archambault’s You Will Remember Me
premiered at ATP and won a Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play. Bobby is the
resident dramaturg and host of the Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac.
5Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
C. Attending the Performance
Prior to the performance, please ensure that your students are well prepared. The better
prepared they are, the more they will get out of the experience. The following guidelines should
help you and your students get the most out of attending You Will Remember Me:
• Please arrive early. When travelling in the city, whether by school bus or TTC, it is always
best to leave extra time in case of traffic or transit delays. All Wednesday matinée
performances will begin promptly at 1:30PM. To avoid disruption, LATECOMERS may
not be admitted.
• All photography and recording of the performance is strictly prohibited.
• Please impress upon your students the importance of turning off all cell phones, music
players and other electronic devices. If students understand why it is important to refrain
from using electronics, they will be more likely to adhere to this etiquette. Remind students
that they will be seeing people performing live in an intimate space and, as a rule,
if you can see and hear the actors, the actors can see and hear you. Even text
messaging – with its distracting, glowing light – is extremely disruptive in the theatre.
Please be courteous.
• Outside food and beverages are not permitted in the auditorium. Spills are messy and
noisy snacks and bottles can be disruptive for performers and patrons alike. Please ensure
that students have the opportunity to eat lunch prior to attending the performance.
• We encourage student responses and feedback. Please take the time to discuss
appropriate audience responses with your students. After each Wednesday matinée and
Thursday evening performance, we offer a talkback (Q&A) session because we are
interested in hearing what our audiences have to say and engaging in a dialogue inspired
by the play. If students are aware of the post-show talkback they will be better prepared to
formulate questions during the performance. And they will better remember to remain in
their seats following the curtain call! After the show, kindly take some time to complete our
online Teacher/Student Response Form (studio180theatre.com/education-feedback) and
ask your students to do the same. Your feedback is valuable to us.
6Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
D. Timeline of Québec Sovereignty
Pre-1960 Québec society is largely poor and agrarian. Québec’s education system is
controlled by the Catholic Church and is notably archaic and obsolete,
producing one of the highest high school dropout rates in the country.
1960 Reformist Liberal Premier Jean Lesage is elected in Québec, after an
18-year reign by the right-wing Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis.
1960s The Lesage victory in Québec sets off a period known as the Quiet
Revolution. Amidst widespread social upheaval and demands for equal
rights by disenfranchised people throughout North America, the Québécois
find their own national voice and begin to demand equality.
Among Lesage’s key reforms are the nationalizing of hydro-electric utilities,
establishing the Québec pension plan, creating new government ministries
for cultural affairs and federal/provincial relations, protecting French
language rights and revolutionizing Québec’s education system by wresting
control from the Church.
Small separatist movements emerge in Québec, including the militant
Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale (RIN).
1963 Formation of the radical separatist group the Front de libération du Québec
(FLQ), which takes responsibility for hundreds of bombings throughout the
remainder of the decade.
1966 Members of a dissident wing of the RIN and others join to establish the
separatist political party Ralliement national.
Daniel Johnson of the Union Nationale becomes Premier of Québec.
Spring 1967 Expo 67 – the historic World Fair commences in Montréal, signalling to
Canada and the world that Québec has emerged from the Quiet Revolution
as a modern world capital. Expo 67 is a symbol of great national pride.
Summer 1967 War hero and French President Charles de Gaulle visits Expo 67 and
addresses the crowd from the City Hall balcony, declaring, “Vive Montréal…
Vive le Québec… Vive le Québec Libre!”
Fall 1967 Québec Liberal Member of National Assembly (MNA) René Lévesque
proposes a modified form of independence called “sovereignty-association.”
Sovereignty-association is defeated at the Liberal policy convention and
Lévesque leaves the party and establishes the Mouvement souveraineté-
association (MSA).
1968 Lévesque founds the sovereignist Parti Québécois (PQ) by merging his
MSA with the Ralliement national. The more militant RIN are excluded and
when the RIN dissolves, members are invited to join the PQ.
Federalist Pierre Elliot Trudeau becomes Prime Minister of Canada.
Spring 1970 Québec Liberal Leader Robert Bourassa defeats the Union Nationale to
become Premier of Québec, on a platform of Québec modernization and
job creation.
Oct 5, 1970 The October Crisis is sparked by the FLQ kidnapping and hostage taking of
British trade commissioner James Richard Cross and Québec labour
7Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
minister Pierre Laporte. The FLQ demands include the release of FLQ-
associated prisoners and the public reading of the FLQ manifesto:
“… We have had enough of promises of work and prosperity. When in fact
we will always be the diligent servants and bootlickers of the big shots... We
will be slaves until Quebecers, all of us, have used every means, including
dynamite and guns, to drive out these big bosses of the economy and of
politics, who will stoop to any action, however base, the better to
screw us...”
Oct 16, 1970 Trudeau invokes the War Measures Act, suspending basic civil rights and
liberties and permitting searches and arrests without warrants, and
prolonged detentions without charges and without the right to see a lawyer.
Oct 17, 1970 The body of Pierre Laporte is found in the trunk of a car and FLQ sympathy
and support dramatically drops until the group ceases all activity
months later.
1973 Robert Bourassa and the Liberals are reelected in Québec earning 54.65%
of the vote, with the second-place PQ earning 30.22% of the vote.
1976 Lévesque leads the PQ to electoral victory in Québec, campaigning on a
promise to hold a sovereignty referendum.
1980 Québec voters overwhelmingly vote in favour of federalism when the “Non”
vote defeats the “Oui” in a historic referendum.
1981 Lévesque and the PQ are re-elected with Lévesque promising not to raise
the issue of referendum until the next election.
1985 René Lévesque retires from politics, stepping down as leader of the PQ.
Robert Bourassa leads the Québec Liberal Party to a landslide victory
(earning 99 seats vs. 23 for the PQ). Shockingly, Bourassa loses his own
seat in his Bertrand riding. A fellow Liberal MNA gives up his seat, allowing
Bourassa to win back his post in a January by-election.
1989 Re-election for Bourassa and the Liberals. The PQ surprises with a strong
showing.
1990 Failure of the Meech Lake Accord and the revival of the separatist
movement in Québec.
Federal Members of Parliament (MPs) defect from the Liberal and
Conservative parties to form the Bloc Québécois (Bloc) led by former
Conservative Cabinet Minister Lucien Bouchard. The Bloc begins as an
informal alliance of MPs dedicated to promoting Québec rights in federal
Parliament and the goal of Québec sovereignty.
In the August election, Gilles Duceppe is the first Bloc member to win a seat
in Parliament. He runs as an independent because the Bloc is not yet
registered as a federal party.
1992 The Charlottetown Accord fails, lacking popular support among Quebecers
who believe Bourassa gave away too many Québec rights during
negotiations.
1993 During the federal election, the Bloc enjoys a sweeping victory winning
54 of Québec’s 75 seats and becoming Canada’s official opposition.
8Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
1994 Hard-line sovereigntist Jacques Parizeau leads the PQ to victory in Québec
with his promise of a sovereignty referendum within the year.
1995 Inspired by Lévesque’s approach to sovereignty and initiated by Bouchard,
a “tripartite agreement” mapping out a secession plan for Québec is drafted
and a referendum is held in Québec.
The “Oui” vote for Québec separation narrowly loses in this historic
referendum, completing another chapter of the story of Québec sovereignty.
Parizeau resigns.
1996 Bouchard leaves federal politics to claim PQ leadership and become
Québec’s Premier.
1997 The Bloc loses its official opposition status when it drops to 44 seats in the
federal election.
1998 Bouchard and the PQ enjoy electoral victory in Québec.
2003 Jean Charest and the Québec Liberals win the election to form government
in Québec.
2011 During this federal election, the “Orange Wave” of New Democratic Party
support in Québec sees the Bloc losing most of its seats as well as official
party status.
2013 PQ Leader and Québec Premier Pauline Marois introduces Bill 60: The
Québec Charter of Values. This controversial piece of legislation includes
new laws limiting the wearing of religious symbols and head coverings
(e.g., the hijab, niqab, kippah or turban).
2014 Many cite the Québec Charter controversy as a reason behind the PQ
election loss that results in a Liberal victory for Philippe Couillard who
becomes Premier of Québec. This defeat marks the PQ’s lowest share of
the popular vote in Québec since the party’s inception in 1970.
2015 In the federal election, Bloc members manage to win 10 seats, which is an
improvement from the previous election, but still not enough to gain official
party status. Duceppe loses in his riding and steps down as party leader.
9Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
E. Major Themes: Classroom Discussion & Activities
1. Theatrical Presentation
a) ISSUE-BASED THEATRE
Studio 180 Theatre is unique in that we produce plays that speak to socially and politically
relevant issues. With your class, examine the company’s Vision and Mission statements.
Vision: The experience of live performance inspires people to engage more fully in the world
Mission: To produce socially relevant theatre that provokes public discourse and promotes
community engagement
1. What do these statements mean to you? Does Studio 180’s Vision resonate and have
meaning? How effectively do you think the company’s Mission serves its Vision?
How does this production of You Will Remember Me work toward fulfilling our Mission?
HINT: Some prompt questions – How did the play provoke you to engage in the world
differently? What conversations did you have with friends after seeing the play? What
surprised you about the play? What BIG QUESTIONS did it bring up for you?
2. Why live theatre? What makes theatre an effective art form through which to explore
themes, issues and human behaviour? There is no shortage of books, essays,
magazines, blogs and documentaries that address questions of memory, youth, aging,
dementia, legacy, suicide and other themes illuminated in the play. What is unique about
live theatre? Consider what is specific about your intellectual, emotional and communal
responses to attending live theatre, compared to engaging in other forms of art,
communication and media.
HINT: How does live theatre HUMANIZE issues and why is the humanization of social
and political issues important?
3. Brainstorm issues that you would like to see turned into a piece of theatre. If you were
going to see another play, or write a play yourself, what would you want it to be about?
This question may serve as a jumping off point for drama students to begin their own
issue-based theatre projects around stories and topics of particular relevance to them.
b) POINTS OF VIEW – CHARACTERS
One way we hope theatre will be an effective tool to explore important issues is through the
portrayal of multiple perspectives or points of view. How effective is You Will Remember Me in
exploring different sides of a story, question or topic? Was the play even-handed? Did you feel
that a multitude of opinions and points of view were expressed? Were the characters portrayed
fairly? Which characters and stories were the most memorable? Who did you relate to? Which
voices remained with you longest and why? Which moments had the greatest impact? Which
characters surprised you? Did the play create questions for you regarding the characters or their
circumstances? Who did you want to hear from more? Did you disagree with what some of the
characters were saying? What would you ask those characters, given the opportunity?
c) POINTS OF VIEW – PLAYWRIGHT
What do you think the playwright’s point of view is regarding the characters he has created?
Do you suspect one or more character represents the playwright’s voice or point of view?
Explain.
10Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
SUGGESTED ACTIVITY
During an exploration of the questions above there might well be as many different answers as
there are students in the class. Use this discussion to highlight the significant role the
audience plays at the theatre and how audience interpretation is equally as important as
the author’s intention. SCULPTING is a fun activity that illustrates this concept.
Activity goals:
• Get students out of their heads and into their bodies in a fun and creative way
• Challenge students to express themselves physically
• Enhance verbal and non-verbal communication and cooperation skills
• Explore the exciting ways in which art can have multiple meanings and interpretations for
both the creator and the audience/viewer
Step by step:
1. Select one student to be the SCULPTOR and four students to be the CLAY.
2. Select a title for the sculpture (this can be designated by the teacher or offered by the
class – we like to use theme-based words from the play but you can also use your
imagination and come up with things like invented play or movie titles).
3. Designate a brief amount of time (10–30 seconds) in which the SCULPTOR may sculpt.
4. The SCULPTOR must then use the designated title to silently create a sculpture in the
allotted time. This can be done with MIRRORING (the SCULPTOR positions him or herself
and the CLAY must imitate precisely) or by physically positioning the CLAY.
5. Ask the SCULPTOR to describe their masterpiece and then invite class members (art critics,
gallery patrons, etc.) to describe what they see.
6. The activity can be repeated in any number of configurations (e.g., in pairs, with multiple
groups of three, four, five or more, etc.)
d) POINTS OF VIEW – AUDIENCE
Let’s explore the role of the audience even further. What makes live theatre unique as an art
form? How does the audience impact the performance and how can the performance be
different every time? With regard to You Will Remember Me, how might the specific identities or
backgrounds of the audience members impact their experience of the play?
HINT: How might a Québec audience respond to the play compared to an Ontario audience?
Compared to an audience in Alberta?
e) DESIGN
How did the design of the production affect the presentation of the piece? Was the set
naturalistic or abstract? What did the set and props evoke, represent or symbolize? Did they
offer clues about the story, circumstances or characters inhabiting the space? How was lighting
used to create mood or ambience? Did lighting work to define space and setting? How were
projections incorporated into the production? Why do you think the director and designers
chose to use projections and what was their effect? How was sound and music used to affect
the presentation? How were costumes used to define characters? What did you understand
about characters based on the clothing they were wearing? How did the costume designer
make use of colour, texture and style?
11Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
2. Sovereignty
a) QUEBEC SOVEREIGNTY
“My husband misses the Quiet Revolution.” – MADELEINE
The issue of Québec sovereignty is a thematic backdrop for You Will Remember Me. For some
background about this important element of Canadian politics and history, please refer to
Section D: Timeline of Québec Sovereignty and the CBC documentary listed in Section I:
Recommended Resources. Here are some suggested prompts for a class discussion about
the themes of Québec sovereignty and the Quiet Revolution in the play:
• What does Québec sovereignty mean to each character in the play? What does it mean to
Edouard? To Isabelle? To Berenice?
• For Edouard, what does the Quiet Revolution represent? What does it mean to Edouard to
remember that specific time in history?
• How is intergenerational conflict explored in the play through the topic of Québec
sovereignty? Identify the three generations of Québécois in the play. How might each
generation view Québec sovereignty differently and why? What does the Quiet Revolution
mean to each of them?
SUGGESTED ACTIVITY
IN THE HOT SEAT: For a creative, in-depth approach to understanding different characters’
positions on sovereignty, have students volunteer to sit in the hot seat and respond to questions
as a particular character. The person in the hot seat must respect the given circumstances of
the play but is otherwise free to use their imagination. Those asking questions are working
with the character in the hot seat to help them create a rich backstory and a complete picture of
the way they think and feel about the issues. History and drama students interested in further
exploration can use this exercise to create completely imagined characters who take a strong
position on sovereignty one way or the other. Why does the character hold his or her
particular position and how does this impact their identity and their life?
b) “JE ME SOUVIENS”
“Je me souviens” translates to “I remember” and is the official motto of the province of Québec.
You already know that You Will Remember Me was originally written in French (Tu te
souviendras de moi) by acclaimed Québécois playwright François Archambault. Do you think it
is a coincidence that the theme of memory is at the centre of this celebrated and popular
Québec play? How might the play speak to the collective consciousness of Québec
theatregoers? How is the theme of Québec sovereignty both a subject of the play and a
metaphor for the ways in which we collectively experience memory?
Here are some prompts to inspire conversation around the topic of collective memory:
• What does it mean to have a shared memory as a community, culture, religion, school or
other group? How does memory unite? Empower? How might it weigh down or burden us?
• Are our collective memories reliable? Is it important that they be historically accurate?
• When does a shared memory transform into a myth? Why are our shared mythologies
important? When can our shared mythologies be damaging?
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c) PERSONAL SOVEREIGNTY
Sovereignty refers to the rights to independence, autonomy and self-determination – the power
to rule, govern and make decisions for one’s self. As we explored above, Québec sovereignty
and Québec’s relationship to the rest of Canada underpins much of the play. In what other ways
do questions of sovereignty, independence, self-determination and the power to make one’s
own decisions come up in the play?
• Which characters struggle with issues of personal sovereignty? What freedom or autonomy
do they seek? What obstacles do they encounter?
• A motto of the Quiet Revolution was “Maîtres chez nous: Masters in our own house.”
Politically, this referred to the rights and control of the Québec people over resources,
legislation, culture, etc. Personally, what does it mean to be a Master in one’s own house?
Which characters in the play are struggling to achieve this status?
• How do factors such as gender and age contribute to the struggle for personal sovereignty?
What other components of identity are factors? Consider these questions within the context
of the play and beyond.
d) SOVEREIGNTY AS METAPHOR
Metaphor: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of
object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between
them; a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially
something abstract
This literary device is likely familiar to your students. What does it mean to apply the term
“metaphor” to a play? How does an entire plot, theme or character of a play act as a metaphor?
You Will Remember Me is steeped in metaphor – numerous themes and ideas are stand-ins for
other concepts and the literal actions of the play represent an added layer of abstract meaning.
• How can Québec sovereignty be seen as a metaphor in the play? What does political
sovereignty represent? What questions does it provoke about our own lives?
• Why do you think the playwright wove this metaphor into the play? What is the impact on
the audience when a story has various layers of meaning beyond its literal meaning?
• What other metaphors does Archambault evoke in his play? As a class, brainstorm a list of
metaphors you identify in the play. What does each represent? What thoughts, ideas or
questions does each illuminate? What does each communicate to the audience about the
major themes of the play?
SUGGESTED ACTIVITY
For continued exploration of the use of metaphor in You Will Remember Me, have students
think about the characters’ relationship to the natural world in the play. What are “common
phragmites”? When do they appear in the play? How are they physically represented? What do
different characters say about them? Ask students to respond to a question such as How are
common phragmites used as a metaphor in You Will Remember Me? You can use this
excerpt from the play as a jumping off point:
“It’s a real epidemic. They’re spreading like mad. In fact, they’re killing off wildflower diversity all
around here… It’s like mass culture.” – EDOUARD
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3. Dementia
You Will Remember Me invites audiences to think about questions of dementia and other
memory-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s Disease. In this Study Guide we have included
resources from the Alzheimer Society of Toronto in Appendix A. We have also included links to
Toronto’s Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy and other community organizations in Section I.
Students wishing to pursue an extended examination of big questions around Alzheimer care
should check out the provocative article included as Appendix B to this Study Guide.
a) MEMORY
In addition to the fact that Edouard is actually experiencing memory loss and dementia, how
else does the theme of memory and memory loss resonate throughout the play?
• Which other characters explore memories and recollections in the play?
• When are characters’ memories reliable and when are they unreliable? Can we rely upon
our own memories? Is it important that our memories are accurate? Which scenes in the
play spark these questions and what do they make you think of?
• In Section E2 of this Study Guide we suggested exploring sovereignty as a metaphor in the
play. How can the theme of dementia be seen as a metaphor?
• As a class, identify instances in which characters have different memories of the same
event. How is this possible? Can you come up with examples of this from your own life?
Here is an excerpt from the play that illuminates this concept. What do you think the
playwright is communicating through this scene? How does it resonate with you?
EDOUARD: Do you remember our song?
MADELEINE: Our song?
EDOUARD: Yes… our song.
MADELEINE: What are you talking about? We don’t have a song…
EDOUARD: When we met. We said it was about us. It was about Madeleine, your
name was in the song.
MADELEINE: Oh, please! You thought that song was stupid. You said it all the time
just to make fun of it.
EDOUARD: I even went and wrote on an oak tree…
MADELEINE: No. You couldn’t find an oak tree…
HINT: The lyrics to the song of which this scene is an echo, are included in Section G of
this Study Guide.
b) FORGETTING
What is the value of holding onto memory or holding onto the past? When are memories
painful? Why do we sometimes choose to let go of the past or forget? What is the cost of
memory and what is the cost of forgetting? Use the following excerpts from the play to initiate
dialogue in response to these questions:
“I’m sorry I tried to forget you. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life.
I tried so hard to stop thinking about you.” – EDOUARD
14Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
“Run away! That’s your answer to everything… If there’s a problem: run away, leave it
behind – if you don’t think about it, it doesn’t exist! You do everything to forget it… But
believe me, sooner or later, it’ll come back and smack you right in the face!” – ISABELLE
c) LEGACY
The title of the play is You Will Remember Me – it sounds like a directive, a command and
perhaps a prophesy.
• Which characters in the play want to be remembered? What do they want their legacy
to be?
• How do the characters in the play make their mark? What steps do they take to guarantee
their legacy?
• How do you want to be remembered? What will your legacy be?
• What is Nathalie’s legacy? What impact did her life and her suicide have on the
Beauchemin family? How is Berenice affected by Nathalie’s legacy?
• How do we remember loved ones? What religious, cultural and personal practices do we
have to help us remember people after they die? Why do you think these traditions endure?
Read the following excerpt of Edouard’s request, read by Berenice in the play, and discuss
how it reflects his point of view and what it says about the ways in which we do or do not
hold onto the past:
“I don’t want a ceremony. I don’t want a casket, or a tombstone, or a plaque… Every day,
animals die, trees, plants, insects… it all disappears without anyone crying, without anyone
noticing… It’s the natural way of things. It’s like Québec. As a people, we will have been an
oddity in the Americas. Our disappearance, though regrettable, won’t necessarily be a loss
for Humanity. Our language will no longer be heard. And so what? Who remembers all the
nations sacrificed to history? Do we lament the fate of the First Nations?” – EDOUARD
d) PAST VS. PRESENT
François Archambault describes his play as, “the struggle between the necessity to
remember things from the past vs. the necessity to live in the present moment.”
• How do you recognize this struggle occurring within the play? Which characters represent
the past? Which represent the present? Which strive to be present? Which feel trapped
in the present moment? Which characters long for the past? Which are trying to escape the
past? Which struggle with these two necessities?
• How does this struggle resonate for you? Is it familiar? When do you need to hold onto the
past? When are your memories precious? Do you ever long to be more present? What do
you think prevents you from being present or “in the moment”? What strategies do you use
to be more present? Is it even important to be present or “in the moment”? Why or why not?
• What is this significance of this struggle between past and present for people living with
dementia and memory loss? What is their relationship to the past vs. their relationship to
the present? How can Edouard’s dementia be interpreted as a metaphor in the play?
• Drama students will likely be familiar with the phrase “in the moment.” As an actor, what
does it mean to be “in the moment”? What is that experience like for the performer and
what is the effect on the audience? As an actor, how do you know when you are fully
present? What are the benefits to your work and your storytelling? What techniques do you
use to stay in the moment as an actor?
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4. Family & Relationships
a) TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS
Many different types of relationships are explored in You Will Remember Me.
• Come up with a list of all the different types of relationships between characters examined
in the play. Which of these are familiar to you? Which are unusual or unique?
• Do any of the specific relationships resonate for you and make you think of your own
experiences? Are any relationships surprising to you?
• Think about other plays, movies or books you’ve encountered. How are similar
relationships typically depicted? And how do some relationships in You Will Remember Me
differ from the norm (e.g., husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, son-in-law/father-in-law)?
What is unusual or surprising?
b) CAREGIVERS
How is the role of the caregiver explored in the play?
• Which characters in the play are caregivers and what does this role mean to them? How
does each character approach this role differently? What responsibilities do they have?
What rewards do they earn?
• How does the gender of the caregiver come into play? What does this say about society’s
expectations of men and women with respect to caring for seniors and other family
members?
• Read the controversial article, “The end of Alzheimer’s ‘disease’” by Peter J.
Whitehouse, included as Appendix B of this Study Guide. What do you think of the
author’s argument? What resonates for you and what surprises you? What do you want to
learn more about?
FURTHER STUDY: After seeing the play and reading the Peter J. Whitehouse article included
in this Study Guide as Appendix B, delve deeper into some of these themes by pursuing your
own research and presenting your findings in an oral presentation or essay. Refer to Section I:
Recommended Resources for websites of some local organizations and foundations to begin
your search for information.
HINT: Here are two suggested topics: Expectations on women as caregivers and Arts-
based approaches to care.
***SEEKING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES?
Spending time with seniors and people living with memory loss and dementia can be fulfilling,
rewarding and fun. Through your research, perhaps you’ll be inspired to pursue a volunteer or
co-op placement with a community organization. Please feel free to reach out to these
organizations directly. Or contact Jessica at Studio 180 (jessica@studio180theatre.com) and
she will be happy to make a connection for you.
We suggest reading this blog post by Thia – a university music student who spent time
volunteering at the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy. Students might be inspired to learn
about her wonderful experience working with seniors with memory loss in an arts-based
environment: thiamusic.wordpress.com/2015/09/19/the-wellness-academy-im-still-me/
16Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
c) GENERATIONS
How many generations of Québec society are represented in the play? How are
intergenerational relationships explored?
• List the various intergenerational relationships in the play. Which are familiar? Which are
unusual or surprising?
• What do you think of the friendship that develops between Edouard and Berenice? What
does their relationship represent? How do their points of view differ and even conflict? What
do you think the playwright is communicating through the exploration of these conflicting
points of view? What do you think Edouard and Berenice need from one another?
SUGGESTED ACTIVITY
Do you have a special elderly person in your life? A relative, friend or mentor? Do some
thinking about what this relationship means to you. After seeing You Will Remember Me, do you
have new questions or feelings about this relationship? How do you see this person or your
relationship in a new light? Responses to these questions can be presented in an essay, oral
presentation, poem or short story, or as visual art or a short documentary film.
17Studio 180 Theatre Study Guide for You Will Remember Me
5. Social Media & Technology
These two excerpts from You Will Remember Me represent Edouard and Berenice’s conflicting
perspectives with regard to social media and technology. Use these together with the suggested
prompts to begin a discussion around the topic of social media and how it impacts our identities,
relationships, and society as a whole.
“People aren’t interested in ideas, or reading, or thinking anymore… now, all they
want to do is feel. ‘I like, I love, I tweet, I retweet…’ The only revolution that matters
now is the technological revolution. The internet reigns supreme! If you don’t have a
site or a blog, if you don’t tweet or if you’re not on Facebook or YouTube, you don’t
exist. It’s as if the virtual world is replacing the real world… Mark my words – and I
don’t say this lightly – we are witnessing the disintegration of society!” – EDOUARD
“You shit all over the internet, like it’s the end of civilization or something… If you
knew anything about it, Facebook, YouTube, you’d know the principle behind it all is
to get everybody interested in what other people are doing! It lets people share
ideas…” – BERENICE
• How do discussions of technology and social media in the play illuminate a clash between
generations?
• What arguments do characters make in favour of new technologies? Why do characters
condemn social media? What do you perceive as the benefits of social media to your life
and society? Do you experience society and/or your relationships suffering as a result of
social media and access to new technologies?
• What is the relationship between technology and memory? How does technology
enhance or inhibit our individual and collective memories? How have advances in
technology affected our relationship to the physical world and physical artefacts? Use the
following excerpt from the play to ignite this discussion:
“Tell the people you meet – explain to them that if water comes into their houses –
they have to protect their photo albums. Or if they’ve written stuff in notebooks. Put
all that someplace safe, on a shelf, or suspend it… One day, someone will want to
see those photos. Okay? You tell them that.” – EDOUARD
• How do social and other new media impact the ways in which we process information?
To respond to this question, begin by reading this speech of Edouard’s that occurs toward
the end of the play:
“I have a warning for you all… Every day, you are being subjected to a horrendous
amount – of information. You’re drowning in it! Your brains are being overloaded
with all this new information, images, sounds, and words… And the result is
complete confusion. Nothing leaves its mark! No matter how much you’re told about
the worst atrocities or the most thrilling ideas, these ideas only remain inside you for
a few minutes at most before being replaced by yet another bit of information you
think is essential… and that you’ll forget an hour later!!!
You’ve been uprooted from reality… You’re dispossessed – incapable of action –
Everything is becoming abstract – conceptual – relative – worthless! You are all
prisoners of an endless present moment… Like me.” – EDOUARD
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F. Suggestions for Further Study
Looking for ideas for enhanced independent research and response papers for senior
students? Inspired by playwright François Archambault’s explanation of You Will Remember
Me as, “the struggle between the necessity to remember things from the past vs. the necessity
to live in the present moment,” each of the following topics explores the complex relationship
between past and present in a personal, social, historical or political context:
1. Further Study of Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Students interested in learning more about dementia or Alzheimer’s can undertake individual or
group research projects. Please refer to Section I: Recommended Resources for some
places to begin. Start by investigating the differences between memory loss, dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease. Once students learn the basics about dementia or Alzheimer’s, encourage
them to write about what experts say about living in the present moment. How does this concept
resonate after seeing You Will Remember Me? In light of this phenomenon, how might
Edouard’s illness be described as a metaphor? How might new media and technology be seen
as a metaphor?
2. Further Study of Québec History
History students learning about Québec politics and history, the Quiet Revolution and Québec
sovereignty should be encouraged to make connections between their historical research and
the themes of You Will Remember Me. The fictional Edouard is a retired history professor and
notable sovereigntist. What does the dream of sovereignty mean to Edouard? How does he
struggle with the death of that dream? How does he feel about younger generations of
Québécois and their relationship to Québec politics? In the play, how does Québec
sovereignty symbolize the human struggle between holding onto the past and living in
the present?
3. Further Study of Contemporary Canadian Politics
In the time since You Will Remember Me was first produced, a new Canadian Prime Minister
has been elected. Drama, Media, History and Politics students might be interested
in exploring how the context or political climate in which an audience sees a play informs their
experience of the work. As well, they can explore how a play seen in a different cultural context
illuminates new questions and ideas about the world around us. For example, what is the impact
of hearing references to the 1980 Québec referendum and Pierre Elliot Trudeau in the wake of
Justin Trudeau’s recent election? How do you think Canadians’ relationships to the past and
our collective memory of our past Prime Minister influenced the recent election? How did our
collective memory influence media and public discourse immediately following the election?
How have Canadians been crafting narratives about the relationship of the past to the present
and why?
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